12 New Evening Makeup Ideas

There are nights when your same-old taupe eyeshadow and baby-pink blush just won’t cut it. We asked top makeup artists to share their favorite after-dark makeup tricks of the season. Find your new beauty look here—and have fun on your big night out!

Glossy Eyelids

Getting pretty, reflective lids couldn’t be simpler: Just smooth some petroleum jelly or clear, nonsticky lip balm over your lids. “Whether you do this on bare lids or over shadow, this look gives you pop and flair for nighttime,” says makeup artist A.J. Crimson, who works with Hilary Duff. For the slightly more adventurous: Dab a barely there pink lip gloss onto your bare lids for a rosy, romantic feel; Crimson likes Kissable Couture gloss in Dreams. “You can wear the same lip gloss out at night—two looks in one!” he says. If you prefer to buy an actual eye gloss, try Chanel’s new version for fall 2009.

Photo: Mark Leibowitz

Sheer Red Lips

High shine is also a hot trend for the lower half of your face—specifically, your lips. Rather than using just one gloss, try this trick for a modern, multidimensional look: Apply a hot pink or red lip stain, like Stila Cherry Crush, then layer on a highly reflective and stay-put clear gloss, like MAC Lustreglass, says makeup artist Carola Gonzalez, who works with Kerry Washington. “It will take your lips to the next level and is easier than applying heavy lipstick,” she notes.

Photo: Wireimage

Drama-Queen Cheeks

Get in on the ’80s retro-beauty action by playing up your cheekbones. “More is more this season, especially for evening,” says Matthew Nigara, makeup artist for NYC New York Color, who suggests using cream blush instead of powder to make the look current. Apply it with an angled blush brush, sucking in your cheeks and following the hollows under your cheekbones, moving up toward your ears. Feeling really, really daring? Put Scotch tape on each cheek to establish the angle you want for your blush, then apply the color on top of (and over) the tape so you get a strong edge. Then remove the tape and gently blend the powder in. “This will give you a great punk-rock look and add an instant glam-rock edge,” Nigara says. As for the color, try a deeper shade than your usual, or go for it with bright fuchsia.

Photo: Mark Leibowitz

Cat-Eye Liner

You can get the sexy vibe Nicole Richie has here without going quite as dramatic. Work lots of pencil liner right into the roots of your lashes, then wing it out a bit at the outer corners. Add plenty of mascara and you’ve got a look. “I really like the look of pencil only, without any shadow,” says celebrity makeup artist Pati Dubroff. For a little trendy update, she suggests trying this with a pencil that’s gray, aubergine or jade.

Photo: Wireimage

Red Carpet-Worthy Lashes

It’s time to stop thinking of falsies as tacky. “Faux lashes are the one element that really separate movie stars from mere mortals,” says makeup artist Susan Giordano. “Nothing will make your eyes as expressive.” The tricks to getting them right: You’ll almost always need to trim a lash strip to fit your eye perfectly. If you’re clumsy, just snip it in half and use one piece on the outer corners of your eyes—much easier than getting the whole strip to lay flush. If you use individual lash clusters—even easier—be sure to get the knot-free kind, which look more undetectable because of their flat base. Finally, “don’t go too long, spiky or thick!” Giordano says.

Photo: Wireimage

Rimmed Eyes

Here’s a hot runway look that doesn’t require tons of effort: Line all the way around the inner rims of your eyelids with jet-black liner. “It instantly gives a mysterious and alluring look for evening,” says makeup artist Troy Surratt, who created this look for the Lanvin show; he recommends using Christian Dior Waterproof No. 94 eyeliner in Noir Trinidad. “Waterproof liner is optimal since you’re applying to the wet line of the eye,” he says.

Photo: Mark Leibowitz

Strategic Glitter

Yes, glitter can be chic—the trick is to use it in moderation. Makeup artist Maria Verel—who says the Sonia Kashuk Showstoppers Eye Shadow Quad is her new obsession for after-dark events—recommends dipping your finger into a glittery shadow (silver-white is one safe bet) and dabbing some in the center of your lid. “It looks very flirtatious and fun and works with any skin tone and hair color,” she says. Or grab a glitter eyeliner—like the Define & Sparkle liquid liner from the Body Shop—and thinly rim your eyes with it, leaving your lids bare. “It’s unexpected, fun and elegant—it’s hard to pull off all of those at the same time, but this does it,” Verel says.

Photo: Wireimage

Bold Lips and Strong Brows

Even beauty ‘fraidy cats will like this one. “If you’re someone who doesn’t wear much makeup, try a bold lip with a bare face,” says makeup artist Jenna Anton. “It’s quick and easy and makes for a dramatic look.” She prefers to nix lip liner to avoid a retro vibe, instead applying a matte or semishiny lipstick in a red or Bordeaux shade straight from the tube. “If you’re feeling bold, add a full brow by filling in with a pencil a few shades lighter than your natural brow color,” Anton says. “It shouldn’t have the same consistency as eyeliner—it should be waxy and hard in texture.”

Photo: Getty Images

A Multidimensional Smoky Eye

Add depth to your standard smoky eye by layering shades of gray, taupe and navy. Giorgio Armani celebrity makeup artist Tim Quinn suggests starting by tracing a dark gray eyeliner, like Giorgio Armani Liquid Silk Eye Liner in Matte Charcoal, around your whole eye. Then, using a tapered shadow brush, pack a taupe shadow along your lash line and diffuse up into your crease. Finally, repeat this step using a navy shadow, blending the two for a soft, multidimensional look. Finish with plenty of mascara.

Photo: Mark Leibowitz

Rock ‘n’ Roll Eye Liner

If you like your makeup served straight-up sexy, this is for you. “What’s great about this look is that it doesn’t have to be perfect—if it’s a little smudgy and dirty, it’s even better,” says makeup artist Fiona Stiles, who works with Rumer Willis. Grab MAC’s Greasepaint Stick and push it into your top lash line and under your outer corners. “It gives you a devil-may-care look and doesn’t end up down on your face at the end of the night,” Stiles says. Just add neutral lips and a pretty pink cheek, plus curled, mascaraed lashes.

Photo: Mark Leibowitz

Gunmetal Lids

Glance at any red carpet stars these days and you’ll notice that metallic gray lids are very in with the glamazon set. Celebrity makeup artist Nick Barose suggests lining just your top lids with black liquid liner, then smudging shiny gray shadow all the way up to your crease. Wing out the edges of the liner and shadow a bit for an even sexier look. “By keeping the lower part of the eyes clean, this looks sultry but sophisticated and less harsh than regular smoky eyes,” says Barose, who did the look for Mischa Barton recently. Warm up the gray a bit by finishing with shimmery champagne lip gloss. Try Giorgio Armani’s Eyes to Kill mascara in Gunmetal Gray—to put a cool twist on your look.

Photo: WWD

Dreamy Under-Eye Shadow

Gwen Stefani’s makeup artist, Kathy Jeung, is loving the look of softy diffused color beneath the bottom lashes. To get it, she uses a nonsmudging cream eyeshadow in a dark shade (she loves MAC Shadesticks in Gentle Lentil) along the lower lashes. Blend it to a soft finish using a bullet-shaped definer brush, like Smashbox #15. “The line should be 1/4” to 3/16” wide so the look is soft with no hard edges,” Jeung says. Layer on powder eyeshadow in a similar color for extra staying power, diffusion and dimension; she likes the Smashbox Waterproof Shadow Liner Duo in Smolder.